Brief third batch report

Honorable Dr. Rod
Greetings from HBTC Surkhet.
To God be all the glory and honor for what He has done wonderfully and faithfully to HBTC Surkhet. We are exceedingly grateful to you all for your fervent prayer, financial support, love and encouragements that made us possible to run HBTC here in Mid-West Nepal Surkhet. I have briefly sketched down the outline of third batch HBTC i.e. as follows:
1. Third batch introduction: Our third batch class was started with 18 participants from various churches on 1st January 2008. They were from various districts. One student was from Rukum i.e. one of the remotest District of Nepal and one was from far west Nepal i.e. Kanchanpur. We have been trying to bring participants from such districts because many pastors and leaders haven't got any opportunity to learn God's words so far.
2. Students' Activities: Himalayan Bible Training Center Surkhet also tries to equip its participants with various activities for their exposure and better future practical ministry. Some of the activities are as follows-
A. Weekend evangelism: Himalayan Bible Training Center students go surrounding villages on every Sunday by diving into four to five groups as per the total students' number. Through this evangelism the Lord has given us many souls into His kingdom. In third batch only 229 people heard the Gospel, 11 people accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior. An encouraging thing for us is some of those who heard of the gospel from our participants sometimes come to our training center and worship God together. To God be the glory! In our third batch, we HBTC family had planned to go outside the valley for evangelism but because of the lack of financial matter we could not do that trip. We urge you all to pray for this for fourth session so that we could make this trip possible.
B. Weekly Church service: HBTC students go for weekly service to different local Churches. Reason behind this is to build up good rapport with local churches and students' exposure too. Presently we have sent our students mainly in four Churches that are situated in Surkhet valley. One thing that really amazed us is local Churches' and INF missionary's love, prayer, encouragement and support to HBTC. We praise God for this.
Some of our participants from far districts got travelling fair from the local churches where they were assigned to worship. Participants found all the local churches very friendly, supportive and co-operative. In coming batches we would like to cope with all the valley local churches.
C. Fasting prayer: HBTC students do fasting prayer by the end of every English month. All of us gather in spirit and spend time with the Lord. Generally we pray for all the concerned people, organizations and friends on that day fully believing that God would answer all our prayers in His own time.
D. Thanksgiving prayer: Likewise HBTC students do thanksgiving prayer by the end of Nepali month. On that day we all thank the Lord for His grace, guidance, provision and care. Whenever we meet for this service, we have experienced God's presence among us. To God be the glory!
E. Talent Show day: HBTC students perform their hidden talents for God's glory twice in a month on Wednesday. On that day all of them get excited to perform their talents such as Nepali folk dance, folk song, jokes, poetry, drama etc. At this point we come to know perfectly that our God has given all of us many gifts and talents for His glory. No one is without gift and talent.
F. HBTC Welfare Fund: From second bath onwards HBTC has started its own small welfare fund i.e. called HBTC Surkhet welfare fund. The aim of this FUND is to render small financial help to both graduated students and studying students. Those who are studying sometimes get sick need of pocket money, unexpected travelling etc and if our graduated friends are also financially struggling in their ministry we will try to render small help. Encouraging news that we would like to tell you is now HBTC fund has almost Rs 5,000.00. Hope God will keep adding to this fund for His glory in the days ahead too.
G. Reading entire Bible at least once during the training period: HBTC students ought to finish reading entire Bible at least once during five months period. Surprisingly in third batch all finished once and a student from Bardiya district finished almost thrice. Praise the Lord. In his own words' after coming here in HBTC, Bible reading has been my habitual action".
3. How many subjects they could learn during the five months period?
Altogether in third batch they learned 24 subjects on various topics.
4. Graduation day of third batch: The graduation day was on June 8th 2008. Our venue was Khristya Church Itram. 16 participants were so excited with their invited pastors and guests. We had invited all our executive board members from Surkhet valley Churches. The program was conducted by James Tamang, principal. Chief Guest was pastor Padam Nepali, Bethel Church. He himself delivered an exciting message. Dedication prayer for graduating students was offered by Pastor Goman Singh Basyal, Grace Vision Church. Final word of thanks was delivered by Rev. Dil Bahadur Tamang, Director Himalayan Bible Study Academy. Altogether there were 80-90 invited guests including graduating students on 3rd batch graduation ceremony day.
A. Ex- HBTC student's encouraging ministerial experiences-
1. Mr. Keshav Thapa(Bethel Church, Khajura): Mr. Keshav Thapa is a first batch student. We are happy to share with you all that all the HBTC graduate students are serving the Lord in their own respective areas. Some are pastors, some are deacons, some are evangelist, some counselor, some Sunday school teacher and some are doing social service too. To God be the glory!
Mr. Keshav Thapa is from Bethel Church Khjura and we had invited him on graduation day to share some ministerial experiences to encourage outgoing group. He is now one of the pillars of Bethel Church that is one of the leading and growing church of Surkhet valley. He gives all credit to God and HBTC for his successful ministry in Bethel Church.
He was encouraging all by saying 'we are to serve the Lord from the bottom of our hearts being so humble. Humbleness before the Lord is the beginning of our ministry. He was reminding how he put believer's slipper and shoes on Sunday in a right place while they were worshipping the Lord at Church. I did not hesitate doing all those things. I obeyed my God as well as my senior leaders. Now God has given me an opportunity to serve him as a full time minister. He is involved in a NGO called "Life Challenge" where he counsels to drug addicted and alcoholic people by showing Jesus' love'.
I have already mentioned that all of our graduates are serving the Lord in their own respective areas. No one has gone astray. We thank God and proud of our graduates for their sincere and faithful God's ministry where serving the Lord is not a easy business. But our gracious and loving God has been using our graduates.

5. Praise and thanksgiving points-
1. We praise God for His sufficient grace upon HBTC Surkhet
2. We praise God for His faithfulness to HBTC Surkhet.
3. We praise God for all the well wishers like you for HBTC Surkhet.
4. We praise God for the approval of HBTC Surkhet from District administration.
5. We praise God for the co-operative & supportive hands from the local Churches.
6 Prayer points-
1. Let's pray for fourth session that will be held from July 23 2008.
2. Let's pray for coming students so that God would send suitable candidates for His service.
3. Let's pray for all the well wishers and donors of HBTC.
4. Let's pray for all the staffs and visiting teachers of HBTC Surkhet.
5. Let's pray for its executive board members so that they would lead HBTC for God's glory.
Thank you so much. Looking forward your prayer and love in the days ahead too.

Yours truly
James Tamang
Himalayan Bible Training Center
Birendranagar – 7, Surkhet